Electrical connection apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electrical connection system comprising includes a plug having contact elements, and a socket having mating contact elements. The plug can be connected magnetically to the socket by means of a magnet device for transmitting signals or current. The magnet device has at least one connection pair, which comprises a magnet and a connecting element, which can be attracted by the magnet, but itself is not in the form of a permanent magnet, wherein respectively the magnet of a connection pair is arranged in the socket, and the connecting element which is not in the form of a permanent magnet is arranged in the plug.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35U.S.C. §120 to co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/696,829 filedNov. 8, 2012, which is a U.S. National Phase entry of InternationalPatent Application No. PCT/EP2011/057024, filed May 3, 2011 whichdesignated the United States and at least one other country in additionto the United States and claimed priority to German Application No. 102010 028 791.1. All of the foregoing applications are expresslyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties to form a part ofthe present disclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of electrical connection apparatushaving a plug which has contact elements, and having a socket which hasmating contact elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An electrical connection system of this generic type is known from DE 202006 020 263 U1. Connection systems such as these are used to transmitcurrent, data and/or signals, and for this purpose generally have amultiplicity of contact elements which, when the connection system ismated, are connected to corresponding mating contact elements. Thecontact elements may be arranged in a plug, and the mating contactelements may be arranged in a socket.

Magnets which are aligned with one another are inserted in the plug andthe socket, in order to make a good contact between the contact elementsand the mating contact elements. The magnets in the plug and in thesocket in this case attract one another and ensure that the plug ismechanically connected to the socket and that, in the process, thecontact elements make contact with the mating contact elements. Ingeneral, two magnets are in each case provided in the plug, and twomagnets in the socket.

Additionally or alternatively to the use of magnets and correspondingopposing magnets, it is also known from the general prior art forso-called contact links, for example a silicone cushion, to be used inorder to elastically prestress the contact elements in the direction ofthe mating contact elements.

The use of magnets and opposing magnets has been found to beparticularly suitable on the one hand for making a reliable connectionbetween the contact elements and the mating contact elements, and on theother hand to simplify the connection process. Within certain limits,connection systems such as these may be self-locating.

The use of magnets to make a good contact in electrical connectionsystems, particularly with respect to the contact between a plug and asocket, is suitable for many applications. However, applications areknown, in particular in medical care facilities and in hospitals, inwhich the use of magnets is impossible, since situations can arise therein which the magnets interfere with medical units which are important tolife, for example heart pacemakers implanted in the patients.

In this case, it is particularly problematic if, for example, a plugbecomes detached from a socket as a result of an accidental pulling orbending load, and falls onto the chest of a patient, thus having anegative influence on an implanted heart pacemaker.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is therefore based on the object of furtherdeveloping an electrical connection system having a plug, which hascontact elements, and having a socket, which has mating contactelements, such that a magnet device for connecting the plug to thesocket magnetically can be used even in sensitive areas, in particularin medical care facilities.

With regard to the electrical connection system, this object is achievedin that the magnet device has at least one pair of connections whichcomprise a magnet and a connection element which can be attracted by themagnet but is not itself permanently magnetic, wherein the magnet oneach pair of connections is arranged in the socket, and the connectionelement which is not permanently magnetic is arranged in the plug.

Since the magnet device has at least one pair of connections whichcomprise a magnet and a connection element which is not permanentlymagnetic, and since the connection element which is not permanentlymagnetic is arranged in the plug, the advantages of a magnetic devicefor making a connection between a plug and a socket can be achieved evenin sensitive areas, in particular in medical care facilities, inparticular in hospitals. The solution according to the invention meansthat the plug no longer has a magnet and the plug has no permanentlymagnetic material which produces a magnetic field which could interferewith medical units, components and other electrical appliances, inparticular medical electrical appliances which are important to life. Ifthe plug falls onto the chest of a patient, there is no negativeinfluence from the magnetic field on, for example, an implanted heartpacemaker. At the same time, the solution according to the inventionmakes it possible to exploit all the advantages of a magnetic connectionbetween a plug and socket.

The connection between the plug and socket can be made easily because ofthe magnet device, and in this case the magnet device can assist exactpositioning of the plug with respect to the socket. Furthermore, themagnet device makes it possible to automatically release the connectionbetween the plug and the socket as soon as a pulling load or bendingload which exceeds a defined level is applied to the plug. This measurecan be controlled by the strength of the magnet device. In conventionalplug connectors, when a pulling or bending load is inadvertently appliedto the plug, this can be pulled out of the socket, causing mechanicaldamage there. Furthermore, there is a risk of an inadvertent pulling orbending load on the plug leading to the appliance itself being pulledout of its anchorage or off its rest and, for example, falling down,possibly even onto the patient.

The use of a magnetic connection between a plug and a socket thereforereduces damage to the appliances provided with the socket, and reducesthe risk of injury to the patient.

For the purposes of the invention, a “connection element which is notpermanently magnetic” means that this connection element is not along-term or permanent magnet. It should be noted that materials whichcan be attracted magnetically normally lose the vast majority of theirmagnetization immediately when the material is removed from the externalmagnetic field, in the present case the magnetic field of the magnet inthe socket. In general, only a small amount of residual magnetismremains, the so-called remanance. However, there are also materials inwhich this remanance is quite high, and long-term, permanently strongmagnetization is achieved. Materials such as these can be magnetized toform permanent magnets, or exist from the start as permanent magnets,that is to say they permanently assume a clearly identifiable(microscopic) magnetization. This is not desirable for the purposes ofthe invention, and therefore materials which have remanance after theyhave been removed from the magnetic field of the magnet in the socket,which remanance corresponds to long-term (permanent) strongmagnetization, are covered by the term permanent magnets, and not by thefeature “connection element which is not permanently magnetic”.

The scope of the invention essentially covers a plug which isaccidentally or deliberately removed from a socket not representing anyrisk to the patient or electrical, medical appliances and components,such as heart pacemakers. The invention therefore provides that the plughas a connection element which, although it can be attractedmagnetically is not, however, itself permanently magnetic, and itsremanance is sufficiently low that no risk results from this.

It is advantageous for the connection element which is not permanentlymagnetic to be a soft-magnetic material. Soft-magnetic materials becomenon-magnetic again when the magnet is removed (possibly apart from asmall amount of remanance). In contrast to this, hard-magnetic materialsremain magnetic when they have been arranged for a long time adjacent toa magnet.

It is advantageous for the connection element which is not permanentlymagnetic to be formed by a soft-iron core.

In general, the connection element which is not permanently magnetic mayconsist, for example of iron, cobalt, nickel, gadolinium, terbium,dysprosium or of suitable alloys or compounds which satisfy thecharacteristic of having no long-term, permanent, strong magnetizationafter removal from the magnetic field, even they have been arranged inan external magnetic field for a relatively long time.

It is advantageous for the magnet device to have two or more pairs ofconnections. Provision of at least two pairs of connections has beenfound to be particularly advantageous, in order to achieve exactpositioning of the plug with respect to the socket.

It is advantageous if the plug and the socket can be connected to oneanother exclusively by the magnet device. This means that isadvantageous if the connection between the plug and the socket isproduced only by the magnet device, that is to say no additionalmechanical connection, for example a plug connection, is provided. Thisallows the plug to be connected to the socket, and removed from it,easily. This also ensures that the plug itself will be detached from thesocket if misused, without damaging the socket or the appliance.

It is advantageous for the contact elements to be inserted into the plugsuch that their contact surfaces are arranged essentially on a planewith a front face, facing the socket, of the plug, and the matingcontact elements are inserted into the socket such that their matingcontact surfaces are arranged essentially flush on a plane with a frontface, facing the plug, of the socket, with the contact elements and themating contact elements making contact over an area by means of theirmutually aligned contact surfaces and mating contact surfaces, when theplug is magnetically connected to the socket.

This refinement has been found to be particularly appropriate, inparticular because the magnet device allows a reliable contact to bemade. The plug can be connected to the socket, and removed again, in asimple manner. The wording “essentially on a plane” should in this casealso be understood as meaning that the contact surfaces and/or themating contact surfaces project slightly beyond the plane of the frontface of the plug or of the socket, or are slightly recessed or set back.In this case, in particular, it is possible for the contact surfaces inthe front face of the plug to be slightly recessed, and for the matingcontact surfaces to project slightly beyond the front face of thesocket, such that the mating contact surfaces in each case enter thecontact surfaces of associated depressions in the front face of theplug, when the socket is connected to the plug. A depression such asthis may, for example, be 1 to 3 mm. This makes it possible to achievean improved connection between the contact surfaces of the contactelements and the mating contact surfaces of the mating contact elements.This provides mechanical guidance for the mating contact elements. Atthe same time, this does not result in any mechanical connection betweenthe plug as an entity and the socket as an entity which could be damagedin the event of an inadvertent pulling or bending load on the plug.

It is, of course, also possible for the contact surfaces of the contactelements to project slightly beyond the front face of the plug and, in acorresponding analogous manner, for the mating contact surfaces of themating contact elements to be recessed or set back slightly into thefront face of the socket. The two solutions are equivalent.

It may also be advantageous for the plug and the socket to have aso-called mechanical coding which ensures in a known manner that theplug can be placed on the socket, and can be connected too, in only oneposition. By way of example, the mechanical coding can be provided by aprojection in the socket or the plug, which engages in a correspondingrecess in the plug or the socket.

It is advantageous for the magnets in the socket and/or the connectionelement which is not permanently magnetic to be held in the plug byadhesive bonding, clamps or clips. This allows the magnet and/or theconnection element which is not permanently magnetic to be arranged andfitted particularly easily.

It is advantageous for the socket to be integrated in an electroniccomponent or an electronic appliance, in particular a medical appliance.

It is also advantageous for the plug to have a ball joint and/or arotating joint and/or a hinge, via which a cable outlet is connectedsuch that it can move to a housing of the plug.

It is known from the general prior art to provide so-called kinkprotection for plugs, that is to say for the plug to have cable kinkprotection in the area of the cable outlet, which prevents pulling orbending loads which act on the cable or the cable outlet from beingtransmitted into the interior of the cable such that damage occursthere. By way of example, cable kink protection such as this can beprovided by mechanical projections and/or recesses in the area of thecable outlet in the plug housing, which correspond to correspondinglycomplementary recesses and/or projections in the area of the outside ofthe cable outlet, as a result of which a preferably interlockingmechanical connection is made between the cable outlet and an area ofthe plug which surrounds the cable outlet.

In one advantageous further development of the present invention, theinventors have identified that inadvertent disconnection of the plugfrom the socket can be reduced by the plug having a ball joint and/or arotating joint and/or a hinge, via which the cable outlet is connected,such that it can move, to the housing of the plug. This means that theball joint and/or the rotating joint and/or the hinge is moved first ofall when a pulling or bending load is applied to the cable or the cableoutlet. In consequence, initially, no force is transmitted to the plugor the connection between the plug and the socket. Only when the balljoint, the rotating joint or the hinge has reached an end stop andcannot rotated/move any further is a pulling or bending load on thecable or cable outlet transmitted to the plug or the connection betweenthe plug and the socket. The provision of a ball joint and/or a rotatingjoint and/or a hinge makes it possible to at least partially absorbforces that occur, thus reducing the risk of inadvertent disconnectionof the plug.

This refinement therefore means that the cable can first of all movewith respect to the plug, before the pulling or bending load acts on themagnetic connection. In contrast to this, a bending or pulling loadwhich acts on a cable outlet or a cable is transmitted immediately tothe magnetic connection when only a kink protection sleeve is provided,that is say there is a firm mechanical connection between the cableoutlet and the plug.

According to the invention, it is also possible to use plugs for anelectrical connection system as a replacement or accessory. In thiscase, it is likewise advantageous for the plug to have a ball jointand/or a rotating joint and/or a hinge, which connects a cable outletsuch that it can move to a housing of the plug.

It is advantageous for an electronic component or electronic appliance,particularly for medical applications, to be equipped with a socket aspart of an electrical connection system. In this case, the socket can beintegrated in the appliance in a known manner. According to theinvention, it is also possible in this case for the electronic componentor electronic appliance to be provided with a plurality of socketsaccording to the invention.

The use of an electrical connection system for connection of a plug to asocket is particularly suitable for electronic, medical components orelectronic, medical appliances which are used in medical carefacilities, in particular in hospitals. However, the invention is notrestricted to this. Other areas which react sensitively to magneticfields are also known, in which it may be advantageous to use theelectrical connection system according to the invention, for example inaircraft or in space flight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described in thefollowing text with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of the electrical connectionsystem with a plug and a socket, in the form of an explodedillustration;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective plan view of a plug from the front;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a plug, in a refinement with a rotatingjoint;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a plug, in a refinement with a ball joint;and

FIG. 5 shows an outline illustration of an electronic appliance with twosockets as part of the electrical connection system according to theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In principle, electrical connection systems are already known from thegeneral prior art, in which context reference is made, for example, toDE 20 2006 020 263 U1. Electrical connection systems are particularlysuitable for transmission of signals, data or current. Only thosefeatures which are essential to the invention will be described in moredetail in the following text.

FIG. 1 shows an electrical connection system having a plug 1 and asocket 2. The plug 1 in this case has a plurality of contact elements 3,and the socket 2 has a corresponding number of mating contact elements4. The contact elements 3 are inserted in the plug 1 such that theircontact surfaces 3 a are arranged essentially on a plane with a frontface 5, facing the socket 2, of the plug 1. The mating contact elements4 are inserted analogously in the socket 2 such that their matingcontact surfaces 4 a are arranged essentially flush on a plane with afront face 6, facing the plug 1, of the socket 2.

In the exemplary embodiment, the contact elements 3 and the matingcontact elements 4 are inserted into corresponding holes 7 and 8,respectively, in the plug 1 and the socket 2, which respectively passthrough the front face 5 of the plug 1 or the front face 6 of the socket2, such that the contact surfaces 3 a and mating contact surfaces 4 a,respectively, can be accessed to make an area contact. In this case, thefront ends of the contact elements 3 and of the mating contact elements4, respectively, which respectively comprise the contact surfaces 3 aand the mating contact surfaces 4 a, may be thickened and/or providedwith barbs such that they remain in the respective holes 7 and 8 in theplug 1 and the socket 2 once they have been inserted there.

As is also evident from the exemplary embodiment, a magnet device 9 isprovided, which mechanically connects the plug 1 to the socket 2. Forthis purpose, the magnet device 9 in the exemplary embodiment has twopairs of connections which are in each case composed of a magnet 10 anda connection element 11, which can be attracted by the magnet 10 but isnot itself permanently magnetic. In this case, the magnet 10 of a pairof connections is arranged in the socket 2, and the connection element11, which is not permanently magnetic, of the pair of connections isarranged in the plug 1. In the exemplary embodiment, the socket 2therefore has two magnets 10, and the plug 1 has two connection elements11 which are not permanently magnetic.

In the exemplary embodiment, the respective front faces 5 and 6 of theplug 1 and of the socket 2 are in the form of an elongated rectangle,with the longitudinal faces of the rectangle preferably being 2 to 3times the length of the short sides of the rectangle. In this case, itis advantageous for the magnets 10 and, analogously, the connectionelements 11 each to be arranged in the area of the short sides of therectangle which is formed by the respective front faces 5 and 6. Thisprovides particularly good assistance to automatic alignment of the plug1 with respect to the socket 2 when they are intended to be mated.

In the exemplary embodiment, the plug 1 and the socket 2 can be or areconnected to one another exclusively by the magnet device 9, that is tosay no additional mechanical connection elements are provided. Inparticular, there is no intention of the plug and the socket beingconnected in a mechanically interlocking manner, for example by beingplugged in or gripped.

In the exemplary embodiment, the contact elements 3 and the matingcontact elements 4 make contact over an area by means of their mutuallyaligned contact surfaces 3 a and mating contact surfaces 4 a, when theplug 1 is magnetically connected to the socket 2. For this purpose, inthe exemplary embodiment, as is evident in particular from FIG. 2, thecontact surfaces 3 a in the plug 1 are slightly recessed or set backwith respect to the front face 5 of the plug 1, and the mating contactsurfaces 4 a project slightly beyond the front face 6 of the socket 2(not illustrated), in such a way that, when the plug 1 is connected tothe socket 2, the mating contact surface 4 a penetrates slightly (forexample 1 to 3 mm) into respectively associated depressions in the frontface 5 of the plug 1, before the mating contact surfaces 4 a rest overan area on the contact surfaces 3 a of the plug 1.

As is also evident from FIG. 1, the magnets 10 can be held in the socket2 by adhesive bonding, clamps or clips. Furthermore, the connectionelements 11, which are not permanently magnetic, can likewise be held inthe plug 1 by adhesive bonding, clamps or clips. Appropriate solutionsfor this purpose are available from the general prior art.

As is also evident from FIGS. 1 to 4, a housing 12 of the plug 1 canpreferably be formed essentially by three elements, specifically by afront part 13, which also forms the front face 5 of the plug, and twoside parts 14. The plug 1 can preferably be assembled by the side parts14 being screwed to one another by means of screws 15, with the frontpart 13 also being attached during this process, for example by means ofdovetail connections—in each case between the front part 13 and anadjacent side part 14. The front part 13 preferably has at least onedovetail connection (or a part thereof) on each of its four sidesurfaces (that is to say the two short sides and the two long sides ofthe rectangle) thus making an interlocking, mechanical connection with acorrespondingly designed, adjacent contact surface on a side part 14.The connection can in this case be fixed by means of a screwingconnection for the side parts 14.

The housing 12 of the plug 1 can preferably be formed from plastic. Thesocket 2 can preferably be formed from a plastic, with the front face 6of the socket 2 preferably being formed integrally with an area of thesocket 2 which holds the magnets 10.

The socket 2 can be integrated in a known manner, and/or using knownmeans, in a preferred manner in an electronic appliance 16, asillustrated by way of example in FIG. 5.

In the exemplary embodiment, the connection element 11, which is notpermanently magnetic, is a soft-magnetic material, in particular asoft-iron core.

FIG. 1 shows a refinement of the housing 12 of the plug 1 with a kinkprotection sleeve 17, which is suitable for surrounding a cable outlet18 such that the cable outlet 18 is connected mechanically and in aninterlocking manner to the housing 12, to be precise to the side parts14 which form the housing 12 in this area. For this purpose, the cableoutlet 18 has a projection or a web and a recess, which can be connectedin an interlocking manner to a suitable recess or a suitable groove inthe side parts 14. This results in a mechanical connection, which cannotrotate, between the cable outlet 18 and the housing 12. A kinkprotection sleeve such as this is a known refinement for plugs 1, and istherefore not annotated more specifically in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative, advantageous connection of the cable outlet18 to the housing 12 of the plug 1. For this purpose, the plug 1 has arotating joint 19 or a hinge, via which the cable outlet 18 is connectedto the housing 12 of the plug 1. The cable outlet 18 can therefore carryout a pivoting movement with respect to the housing 12.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative refinement, in which a ball joint 20 isprovided instead of a rotating joint 19 and surrounds the cable outlet18 such that the cable outlet 18 is connected, such that it can move, tothe housing 12 of the plug 1. The cable outlet 18 can therefore carryout a pivoting movement, and possibly also a rotating movement, withrespect to the housing 12.

As is also evident from FIGS. 1 to 4, the plug 1 and the socket 2 mayhave mechanical coding 21. In this case, FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate themechanical coding 21 on the plug 1. This is in the form of a depression21 on the front face 5 of the plug 1 in the area of an edge of the frontface 5 of the plug 1. The socket 2 may in this case have a projection(not illustrated) which corresponds to the depression 21 in the plug 1,thus ensuring the plug 1 can be fitted to the socket 2 only in such away that its projection engages in the depression 21 in the plug 1. Inprinciple, a plurality of mechanical codings may also be provided.

The plug 1 may, of course, also have a projection, and the socket 2 acorresponding depression.

FIG. 5 shows an electronic appliance 16 which is preferably anelectronic, medical appliance (or component) which is used in a medicalcare facility, in particular in a hospital. FIG. 5 illustrates a socket2 having two magnets 10 which form a part of the magnet device 9 forconnection to a plug 1. Furthermore, a second socket 2 is provided inthe appliance 16 shown in FIG. 5. A plug 1 has already been fitted tothis socket 2, thus concealing the socket 2.

While the invention has been described with reference to variouspreferred embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in theart that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the invention without departing from theessential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the inventionnot be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed but that theinvention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of theappended claims, either literally or under the Doctrine of Equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical connection apparatus, comprising: a socket having a first front face, a permanently magnetic first magnet located on a first side of said first front face, a permanently magnetic second magnet located on a second side of said first front face, and a plurality of first electrical contact elements disposed between said first magnet and said second magnet; said first front face including a plurality of depressions disposed between said first magnet and said second magnet, each of said first electrical contact elements having a respective first contact surface disposed in a respective one of said depressions; a plug having a second front face, a plurality of second electrical contact elements, a cable outlet, a first magnetic connection element located on a first side of said second front face, a second magnetic connection element located on a second first side of said second front face, said plurality of second electrical contact elements being disposed between said first magnetic connection element and said second magnetic connection element, said first magnetic connection element and said second magnetic connection element each being magnetically attractable but not permanently magnetic, each of said second electrical contact elements having a respective second contact surface projecting from said second front face, said plug and said socket being detachably mateable to one another by magnetic attraction of said first magnet with said first magnetic connection element and magnetic attraction of said second magnet with said second magnetic connection element to make a plurality of electrical connections, each of said electrical connections being made within a respective one of said depressions through contact of each of said first contact surfaces with a respective one of said second contact surfaces.
 2. An electrical connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plug and said socket are detachably mateable to one another exclusively by magnetic attraction of said first magnet with said first magnetic connection element and magnetic attraction of said second magnet with said second magnetic connection element.
 3. An electrical connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first magnetic connection element is of a soft-magnetic material.
 4. An electrical connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first magnetic connection element is formed by a soft-iron core.
 5. An electrical connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first magnet and said second magnet are held in said socket by adhesive bonding, clamps or clips and/or said first magnetic connection element and said second magnetic connection element are held in said plug by adhesive bonding, clamps or clips.
 6. An electrical connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plug further comprises a housing and a joint connecting said cable outlet to said housing, said joint being a pivoting joint or a rotating joint. 